What did I miss?

JStar

Hello, fellow wetheads.

Sorry for ghosting y'all. I went through a real dark time while closing our business a few years back. I've learned a lot about the value of my personal time and professional labor since then. The sound of a phone ringing or email notification at night no longer fills me with a feeling of intense dread.

I'm still in NJ, and available for consulting and light service. If any of my former customers have been trying to reach me (my phone and email were inactive), I'll try to rectify the harm caused by my absence to the best of my ability. I hear that a few folks have taken up the torch around the state and have been doing killer work. I'm happy to see good steam work being done, and looking forward to being active here again.

SeanBeans

A few years ago I was in a basement Of an old friends house, there were two steam boilers but the only one I could get access to looked like you had installed it! In White House,NJ

JStar

Cool! If it wasn't me, then it's still great to know that someone did it right. I'm honored that you thought it might be mine.

Jamie Hall

Hey! I personally am delighted to see you back on board -- I've missed you, and so have others! Yes we do have some really good folks in Jersey these days, but nowhere near enough!

Canucker

Glad to see you're back @JStar I loved looking at your installs. Hopefully I'll get to see some more

Hap_Hazzard

To be honest, I didn't miss you.

But that's only because I was coincidentally absent for about the same time frame.

So welcome back!

STEVEusaPA

Welcome Back!..."What did I miss?" Here's a few:

-20 people with Nest thermostat problems/wiring issues.
-10 people with steam boiler venting issues.
-A few people who insist on fixing their own oil burners with no tools or training.
-1 guy trying to fix his boiler piping for 3 weeks by the trial and terror method.
A wonderful post about Bob and his son.

Fred

Welcome back, @JStar !

Steamhead

Fred said:

Welcome back, @JStar !

This. And your old van is still going strong.

Le John

> @STEVEusaPA said:
> Welcome Back!..."What did I miss?" Here's a few:
>
> -20 people with Nest thermostat problems/wiring issues.
> -10 people with steam boiler venting issues.
> -A few people who insist on fixing their own oil burners with no tools or training.
> -1 guy trying to fix his boiler piping for 3 weeks by the trial and terror method.
> A wonderful post about Bob and his son.

Hey @STEVEusaPA I could use a guy like you who writes accurate meeting minutes. @JStar - we all experience dark times at least once in our lives - glad to have you back!

JStar

Thanks for the kind welcome back.

@Steamhead glad to hear the truck is working for you. I'm thinking about finding something similar for side work again.

Here's some of what I've been working on lately. Lots of old stuff in these NJ school districts.

Le John

That’s a big boiler. That would scare me!

SlamDunk

When you began your Sabbatical, "where's JStar?", Was the number 1 question. Welcome back.

Ironman

Welcome back!

JStar

> @Le John said:
> That’s a big boiler. That would scare me!

Here's how it was running before I got there to tune it up.

https://youtu.be/qbJU5KSPkcY

ChrisJ

> @STEVEusaPA said:
> Welcome Back!..."What did I miss?" Here's a few:
>
> -20 people with Nest thermostat problems/wiring issues.
> -10 people with steam boiler venting issues.
> -A few people who insist on fixing their own oil burners with no tools or training.
> -1 guy trying to fix his boiler piping for 3 weeks by the trial and terror method.
> A wonderful post about Bob and his son.

This is clearly a BS post.
It's been a whole lot more than 20 posts about Nest.

> @Le John said:
> That’s a big boiler. That would scare me!

I'm pretty sure those boilers don't scare @JStar

But I'm betting this does.

SlamDunk

That boiler has a face!

nicholas bonham-carter

With evil eyes!—NBC

KC_Jones

> @JStar said:
> > @Le John said:
> > That’s a big boiler. That would scare me!
>
> Here's how it was running before I got there to tune it up.
>
> https://youtu.be/qbJU5KSPkcY

Fire breathing monster.

JStar

That's how I spent my Halloween this year.

ChrisJ

> @JStar said:
> That's how I spent my Halloween this year.

Like the gif I posted?!?

ScottSecor

Is that Todd? brand burner a rotary cup? I haven't worked on one in thirty years, but I was always amazed at hot simple they were.

If memory serves me those Kewanee boilers were some of the tallest we worked on. Many of the Kewanees we serviced were sitting on brick bases, kind of unusual for tube style boilers I guess.

That must be a very big school with all those newer large CB boilers. Haven't seen too many new ones in my life.

Glad your back and thanks for sharing, brings back some old memories.

STEAM DOCTOR

> @JStar said:
> > @Le John said:
> > That’s a big boiler. That would scare me!
>
> Here's how it was running before I got there to tune it up.
>
> https://youtu.be/qbJU5KSPkcY

Well. At least the basement got a little extra heat

Le John

Reminds me of The scene from the Amityville Horror where the house says to GET OUT! That boiler is saying to get out!

BobC

Glad to have you back in the fold, I always learned something from your posts.

Bob